Melanie Nelson
The bolognese zoodle bowl doesn’t need pasta.
Almost hidden in a strip mall on Cottage Grove Road, the new Good Food Low Carb Cafe is an oasis in the midst of fast food joints. Inside, it’s bright with a happy, earthy vibe. Cheerful red walls are accented with turquoise blue. Customers order at the counter from a chalkboard menu and sit at sturdy wooden tables, complete with hooks for a jacket or bag (a small touch, but much appreciated). The menu, much of which is locally sourced, is made up mostly of salads, zoodles (zucchini “noodles”) and gluten-free flatbread pizzas. It’s all served on cute mismatched vintage china.
Good Food began (and continues as) a food cart — actually, two food carts, now. Since 2010, Good Food has been serving food with a healthy bent. This year, Good Food went even healthier with an entirely low-carb menu. The Low Carb Cafe is the brand’s latest endeavor; it opened in early April.
The cafe serves six salads, which can be served as lettuce leaf “tacos,” as a traditional salad or wrapped in a low-carb whole-wheat tortilla. (The tortilla is the only gluten/grain-containing item on the menu.) These are generous; wraps are about the size of the average fast-casual burrito and just as heavy.
In fact, if you’re craving a burrito, “Fajitas from Albuquerque” is a great choice. Grilled bell peppers and onions, fresh avocado and homemade pico de gallo arrive on chopped greens with choice of chicken or tofu. The lime chili ranch dressing that comes on the side is a perfect addition — creamy and tangy.
Another of my favorites is the Bravo. It’s a chopped salad with chunks of avocado and crumbly bacon with blue cheese buttermilk dressing. Sunflower seeds add a surprising, and delicious, crunch. The veggies in this, and in every dish I tried, are really fresh. There’s not a brown leaf of lettuce to be found. This isn’t fancy food, but it’s fresh and well executed.
The Greek Superfood called my name with its kale, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, and citrus vinaigrette, but didn’t pack as much flavor as I’d expected. It was still satisfying, but a dollop of the cafe’s yummy hummus (available as an appetizer) would have added some depth.
Zoodle bowls are another pillar of the menu. Here, pretty spirals of al dente zucchini and summer squash are served in lieu of pasta in versions of familiar dishes like spaghetti bolognese, macaroni and cheese and pad thai.
The “Bolognese” is especially delicious. A meaty tomato sauce is topped with fresh mozzarella cheese and plenty of parmesan. The flavors of zucchini and squash work well with the cheeses and sauce. It tastes almost like a deconstructed eggplant parmesan.
Carb lovers should think of zoodles as something other than pasta. Zucchini won’t trick you into thinking it’s noodles, but as its own thing, it’s a really wonderful way to eat veggies.
While the entrees are loaded with veggies and feel pretty healthy, appetizers are richer and look more like standard American fast fare. Chicken wings, jalapeño poppers and spinach artichoke dip all make the list. Here, the jalapeño poppers come hot out of the oven, not the deep fryer, though. Six jalapeño halves are filled with a cheddar cheese stuffing and each is wrapped with a strip of bacon.
Lemon-tahini hummus had just the right balance of lemon and tahini. It’s so good it’s easy to finish the whole thing, even though it’s quite a large portion. And there are enough fresh veggies and gluten-free flatbread for scooping all the way to the end.
I love gluten, I’ll just say it. I’m naturally skeptical of gluten-free baked goods. Here, the flatbread is made from egg, cheese and almond flour. It’s a touch dry, but still remarkably good for gluten-free.
The flatbread is best utilized in the cafe’s “Fathead Flatbread,” a pizza-like dish that makes as good an entree as it does an appetizer. The Greek is a good pick, loaded with mozzarella cheese; kalamata olives and feta supply a salty kick. Other options include buffalo ranch and margherita.
For dessert, try a chocolate-topped peanut butter bar. There’s no sugar added, of course. The cafe uses stevia instead, which does have a slightly bitter aftertaste, but otherwise does its job in adding just the right amount of sweetness to the treat. Stevia also shows up in a beautiful ruby-colored hibiscus tea, though I’d like the option to be able to order it completely unsweetened.
While the low-carb message is clear, diners don’t have to subscribe to any particular diet to truly enjoy the simple and delicious food here. It’s low-carb, yes, but most importantly, it’s good.
Good Food Low Carb Café
4674 Cottage Grove Rd.; 608-630-8400; goodfoodmadison.com
11 am-8 pm Mon.-Fri., 9 am-3 pm Sat.; $1-14
